Alcohol, drugs and gambling can begin as sources of pleasure, excitement or social connection. Over time, however, they may become ways of escaping emotional pain, quietening an anxious mind, avoiding loneliness or temporarily becoming someone who feels more confident, powerful or free.
When Relief Becomes Repetition: Addiction, Intoxication and Self-Sabotage Read More »
Becoming a mother is often imagined as a time of immediate love, fulfilment and connection. For many women, however, the postnatal period can also bring exhaustion, anxiety, sadness, anger, guilt or a frightening sense of disconnection.
Postnatal depression affects approximately one in seven women following the birth of a baby. It may involve persistent low mood, loss of pleasure, irritability, hopelessness, difficulty sleeping even when the baby is asleep, feelings of worthlessness, or feeling disconnected from the baby and other people. From a psychodynamic perspective, becoming a mother can also awaken powerful feelings connected to a woman’s own experience of having been cared for.
Many men learn from an early age that strength means remaining in control, solving problems independently and continuing to function regardless of how they feel. Being dependable, capable and self-reliant can be genuine strengths. Difficulties arise when these qualities become rigid expectations: I should handle this myself. I should not need anyone. I just have to push through. Over time, the effort required to maintain this position can leave men feeling emotionally disconnected, exhausted or alone.
When “Pushing Through” Stops Working: Men, Emotions and Therapy Read More »
The self-sacrifice schema can lead people to consistently put others’ needs before their own. Learn how childhood experiences, attachment and low self-worth can contribute to self-sacrifice, burnout, resentment and difficulties with boundaries.
Understanding the Self-Sacrifice Schema and Its Impact on Mental Health Read More »
Depression does not always look like sadness. Adults often imagine depression as visible sadness or tearfulness. In adolescents, it may instead appear as:
• Irritability, anger or frequent conflict
• School refusal or declining attendance
• Withdrawal from family, friends or activities
• Alcohol or other drug use
• Fighting, impulsivity or risk-taking
• Sleep disruption and difficulty getting up
• Falling grades or reduced motivation
• Hopelessness, self-harm or suicidal thinking
When Anger Hides Sadness: Adolescence, Depression and School Refusal Read More »
Explore personality structure, psychological crisis and integration through Otto Kernberg’s psychodynamic framework, and discover how self-awareness can support greater emotional stability and meaningful change.
Personality structure and Crisis: How integration can build a pathway to stability Read More »
Avoidance can provide short-term relief from anxiety, fear and discomfort, but over time it may reinforce the patterns that keep us feeling stuck. Explore the psychology behind avoidance and approach goals, why avoidance develops, and how taking small, meaningful steps toward discomfort can support confidence, connection, personal growth and lasting change.
Walking the Tightrope: Autonomy vs. Enabling in Psychosocial Mental Health Work Read More »
